Join the Toronto Transformative Leaders of the Future Team* and our provocateur for the eveningKerry FreekManager of Marketing and Communications at WaterTAP and co-author of Flood Forecast: Climate Risk and Resiliency in Canadato deepen and explore the scenarios created to date

Launched in September 2014 and running for 9 months in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. This initiative will bring together community and decision makers to:

Collaborate, envision and design plausible futures

Identify the necessary steps to create these futures

WaterCity 2040 will activate the knowledge, creativity and skills of young professionals as they work alongside current decision-makers to co-develop a 25-year water vision.

Each city will focus on innovative ways to interact with, use, capture and reuse water, weather change impacts and adaptation, application and implementation of low-impact design, the protection and restoration of urban waterways and outline new policies to move cities towards a sustainable future. Using Waterlution’s facilitation processes, we will guide each city to develop action reports that will be made public and shared with decision-makers.

This is a first-of-its kind open and cross-sector consultation with Canadians in urban centres to design the future they want for their city, while considering possible futures, factors, shocks and trends and how resilience could be built towards these. This opportunity merges innovative ideas, design thinking and social change around topics of water (quality and quantity), environment, health, and sustainability challenges.

Join us as we continue this process and develop the future scenarios for Toronto!

You do not have to be a water "expert" to join us. We are looking for a diversity of thinkers and backgrounds to reflect the larger system - so please share this opportunity widely.

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*Scenarios developed:

The Story of “Green Growth" (closed loops): It is 2040 and City of Toronto has decided to prioritise green/blue growth in a number of areas.

The story of "Inequality": The year is 2040 and there has been an increase in the cost of living and there are few opportunities for homeownership. Overall, there is a decrease in the standard of living and community members are feeling helpless and becoming increasingly apathetic.

The Story of "the Very Wet City": In 2040 there are increased storm events. In response, the City has decided to accommodate and keep the water in the urban environment via various on-site storm water management practices to avoid drought. Major social and cultural shifts related to water have occurred so Toronto now has a much closer relationship with water.

The Story of "the Self Sustaining City": The City of Toronto in 2040 is a very different place than it was in 2014. Communities within the city are known for their creative efforts to reduce consumption and implement green and blue innovations.

The Story of "Toronto Waterfront Revitalized": In 2040 the Toronto Waterfront is considered a complete community - where people work, live, play and vacation. There is a strong culture of entrepreneurialism and independent businesses. Ecotourism is booming so in the summer, tourists seek out Lake Ontario (rather than venturing to cottage country e.g. Muskoka for leisure).

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About scenario planning:

Scenarios are stories about what could happen in the future. Scenario planning allows for community and decision makers to work withpossible futures to influence the actual future by offering plausible, relevant, clear and comprehensive stories that can be extremely useful in conversations between stakeholders. Waterlution will work on bringing diverse stakeholders into the process.